One of the useful features of magnetic recording media is that it can be re-used many times, by recording new material over previously recorded material. As a result, it is desirable that any labelling of the magnetic media, such as adhesive labels attached to videocassettes, should be readily alterable, to accurately describe the material currently recorded on the magnetic media.
One alterable label for a rerecordable medium is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,195,265, in which a pad having several layers of adhesively attached labels is attached to a videocassette. Initially, the top label in the pad is used to indicate the recorded contents of the videocassette. If the recorded contents are altered, the top label is peeled off, exposing the next label, upon which new labelling information can be written. Peeling off of the top label is facilitated by a nonadhesive tab at one edge of the label, which enables the top label to be easily selected and firmly grasped for removal. A disadvantage of this system is that the nonadhesive tabs may get folded outwardly and catch on various objects, such as the apparatus used to record or play the cassette.
A pad of peelable labels without nonadhesive tabs is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,973,088. Here separation of the top label from the next label is facilitated by a stepped, or staggered, configuration. The top label is indented slightly from the next label, which is, in turn, indented slightly from the label below it. This allows a fingernail or sharp object to rest upon the second label while being inserted beneath the first label, to enable the top label to be removed without disturbing the next label in the pad.
Regardless of the particular configuration used for videocassette labels, it is preferred that the label be made of paper, since paper is low in cost and easily written upon by a variety of writing instruments. Paper, however, is temperature and humidity sensitive. With very long paper labels, such as described above, which might be used to label a videocassette, the expansion and contraction of the paper can lead to curling of the labels, which is detrimental to the appearance of the videocassette, and can reduce label adhesion. An additional disadvantage of known labels for magnetic recording media is that when relabelling, the entire label must be replaced, even when only a portion of the recorded material has been altered.